Reevaluation of Goals and Resolutions

Today is the first of the month and the second month of the year. What does that mean?, you may ask. Well, one of my resolutions this year was to make goals and remind myself of them on a regular basis and reevaluate them if necessary.

If I make a goal, what good does it do me if I eventually forget said goal?

I've made resolutions before. I've written down my goals and set them aside to eventually forget them. Why did I bother to make them if I don't see myself through to completion of them? It does no good.

Today I am looking over those goals.

I set two main goals. The first, and most boring one is weight loss. I had gotten pretty hefty and allowed myself to continue with what I know to be bad habits that attribute to my weight loss. Self-control left the building a long time ago.

I think any weight loss diet will work, but to maintain a proper weight, I had to create new habits. I had to look at why I eat. There were to many times I ate because of boredom or because I just plain wanted to. I decided eating should be to energize my body.

On Dec 26, I began the Atkins diet. Why that one? Just because I had never done that one before. Yeah, I admit I am a yo-yo dieter because I have tried almost all of them at one point or another. That's another point I need to change. If I create healthy habits and don't allow myself to reach obesity, I won't need to diet.

In that time I lost 15 pounds. yay. but it is not near enough to get to what most would consider a healthy weight. So, for this goal, I think I've done good. I will continue to evaluate myself on a weekly, and often daily basis. I will continue to look at my habits, my snacking, my choice of foods, etc...

My second goal has to do with my writing hobby. I don't want a writing hobby, I want a writing career. For that I need to be published with an income that will support me and my family. So, I need to write a novel, one after another that readers want to read.

When it comes to creating a story in my head, I have problems getting that story on paper. I know it isn't an impossible task. I've written stories, mainly short stories. I have finished novels, but I have yet edited them to my satisfaction.

I don't think I'm doing well with my writing. I spent last night thinking about how I can improve. Which is why reevaluating your goals is a good idea.

Today, I plan to try 'speed writing', or 'timed sessions'. Even if it is ten or fifteen minute sessions, I can work on increasing my word count in that length of time. Sure, I can't nit pick and look how each sentence is written. But, that is what revising and rewriting is for. But, I think this will help me get my stories down. After all, it does me no good to make wonderful stories of interesting people if I don't share these stories.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Keep the Faith.
Keep Dreaming.

Creative Inspiration

Earlier this week I sat down to write a scene. One of my characters needed information from another character. Before I sat down to write, I wondered if I were even able to write this scene. Can I make a character be mean to someone else? Do I even know how to manipulate someone? If I don't know how to get what I want, how can I properly write a character that needs to do these things.

In my scene, I had the character call her a liar. She physically reacted but still she refused to give him the information he needed. My bad guy eventually pulled out a gun and held it to her Mother's head. Yes, he got the information he wanted. But what else could I have done? I considered torture. Have him hit her, beat her. But writing that was uncomfortable. I have a feeling I will go back to this scene many times to learn how characters can be mean and to try different things.

Life is interesting.

Whatever I want to learn, I notice the Universe will work with me to bring that information to me.

Today I encountered a customer that I will use as inspiration for many bad characters in the future. He started out a great customer. Nice, talkative, pleasant, complimentary. Then he snapped. Suddenly, the work he previously complimented, was poor work. We worked too slow, even though he had been told how long it would take, and it was done when promised. He insisted we should be responsible for work that wasn't agreed upon, and it was work we aren't qualified to perform. He told me 3 bold faced lies and he looked directly in my face when he said them. I was seething. I have never encountered anyone like this in my life. It took every ounce of restraint not to tell the man off. I admit, I wanted to walk off the job. If we had, we would have not gotten paid for it, even though we had already worked two days there. My husband, who also works with me talked me out of it.

Thankfully, I've worked at the store for 8 years, and hubby has worked there for 25. The store knows our work ethic and it is easy to see the customer was crazy. He complained, quite loudly, and he got what he wanted. He got all the work he wanted done, including what would have cost him $100 if he paid a qualified professional to do what needed to be done because the store brought someone in to do the work he wanted done because he threatened to bad mouth the store.

The point to this blog is, that if I take the time and look around me, I can get great lessons for my writing. I've watched movies and tried to learn from them. But, when I watch a movie, when I see a really bad guy, I think 'no one is like that in real life.' But, I guess that shows me I live a sheltered life.

People are mean. They are manipulative. They will use you to get what they want and they have no consideration for your needs or feelings. I just need to notice them so I can write about them.

Writing Sprints

I have been Nanoing this passed week and I feel great about it. My word count is higher than I expected, and if I continue at the speed I've been going, I will finish a week ahead of schedule.

The problem I'm having is taking advantage of my time. I get off of work and I have at least six hours before my usual bed time. If I can harness the focus there is no telling how much writing I can get done. I know I can't sit at the computer for that length of time, but I can easily work for at least an hour and a half before needing a break. But I get easily distracted. I always have and probably always will.

There isn't any reason why I can't create a structured way for me to write. I was thinking about writing sprints today. With Nano going on, everywhere I look there are people suggesting things to help get in lots of words. Basically, it is setting a time limit and getting down as many words as possible.

It may be the perfectionist in me, but I can't write anything. I want to write my story. So when I get to a point where I have to stop and think, I get side tracked. I punch one tiny button and I'm online. Talk about the distractions. I can waste a lot of time on things I don't need and really aren't interested in.

I guess I'm just babbling and wasting time away from my story. This is my way to think of things and work them out. If it were later in the evening I would pop two sleeping pills and see how many words I can get down before my brain stops working.

maybe, another day.

Keep the Faith

Phantom Dog Bark

Before I get into my blog, I want to say that my family thinks I'm crazy. I say, I'm a writer and I may tell stories. In my mind, the stories are true. At least some of them are. To those that may question my sanity, I will use the excuse that I am practicing my stories and everything I say here is made up. Or, maybe it is the truth?

For several years now, whenever I decide there is something I want to do, for example writing, I often sit down to figure out how to make time for my new project.  Many times, the answer is for me to get up earlier than my husband. In the early morning hours, I think clearer, and I have peace and quiet. It has come to be my favorite time of the day.

Yesterday Nano started. For those of you not familiar with Nano, it is National Novel Writing Month. So, I decided to take out an old WIP and rewrite it. It was never the story I wanted it to be. It was boring and didn't have enough conflict. I've been wanting to take it out and have another go at it. So, yesterday, I started it. Again.

This morning, I lay in bed sound asleep. Sidney, my shih tzu barked to go outside at 5:30. It isn't unusual for him to bark to go out. I usually drag myself out of bed, and let him out, then go back to bed 10 minutes later. So, I got up, got dressed, (that's right, I sleep in the nude.) and headed toward the door, which is on the other side of the house.

When I got there, no dog. I walked back to the bed. He was sound asleep, on the bed, next to where I was sleeping. There was no way he barked at the door, if he was asleep beside me.

All I could do is laugh. This isn't the first time this has happened. Yes, I am admitting to hearing a phantom dog bark. This has happened at least a dozen times in the last few years.

I don't think it has ever happened at random. It is always when I plan on waking early in the morning to get something done. No, we never set an alarm clock. We wake naturally. So, if I want to wake up early I have to set it in my mind when I go to bed at night to wake early. I hadn't done it the night before like I should have.

I like to think it is God helping me with my goals.

I would love to hear if anyone ever has odd happenings that can't be explained. If there is anything odd, what do you say is the cause of the odd thing?

Keep the Faith

Nano Enthusiasm

Yes, I'm doing Nano. Again. I tried about five years ago, and didn't accomplish much. If I made it passed two days, I would be surprised. Back then I had no clue how to write a book. I'm not saying I know everything now, but I have plenty of writing classes under my belt and I'm a bit more organized.

I've tried to set my own deadlines to help me finish a WIP. I have finished them, and submitted them in on time, but not a project as big as 50K.

As I take a few days before November 1 to contemplate what I am up against, I ponder what I need. Plot outlines. check. Know my characters. check. Time to dedicate. check

All set. Right? I don't think so. My history shows me that the first sign of trouble, my mind wanders to another project. I can think of a million excuses to move on to another project. I would rather write on anything than sit there and stare at a blank screen. The other characters are screaming louder than these. On and on. But, it seems I don't ever finish the large projects. I did get one about 95% done, but there wasn't enough conflict, and it fell flat. If I'm going to be a writer, I want to write something that people will enjoy reading.

So, I need to work on my enthusiasm. Seriously, I'm so ready for Nano to start. I thought about starting today. But, I'm not going to cheat. I know when I cheat, and I am in this to improve my writing. If I cheat, I am not doing myself any good.

I bought the book 'No Plot No Problem'. It was written by the guy that started Nano. He stated some of the rules, and he suggests starting on a new book, and not working on one you have already started. I really don't need to start another project. But, he did say it was okay to add 50,000 words to a book you have already started. In other words, I just have to add everything up that I am writing from Nov 1-31 and not include what I have written before. I can do that.

The whole reason I am doing this, is to get in the habit of writing every day and writing new stuff. Not rewriting old stuff, which I could do over and over again.

So, if you are doing Nano, feel free to buddy me. chr15ty

Love to hear if you are doing it or not.

Keep the Faith

PS Another suggestion in the book is to kick your internal editor to the curb. Which means to write and not edit as you go. He suggests to even stop editing emails and personal things. So, this blog is not edited. Deal with it. :)

My bookshelves

I just read Samantha's blog. She posted a picture of her bookcase. That is an interesting thought. Most of my friends are avid reader, and some, like me, are writers.

In my opinion, one look at a person's bookshelf tells volumes about a person. And, if they don't have a bookshelf, because they own no books, that also says a lot. So, I'm going to share pics of my bookshelves with you and let you decide what type of person I am.

This is the top shelf of 'my' bookshelf. It is full of M&Bs from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. One day I would love to read them all, but I don't have the time to dedicate to them now. So, there is no way I'll ever get rid of them.

This is the whole bookshelf. Notice, all of the shelves, except the bottom one has books in front of others. It's shove them all in there. Notice the Santa? This is in my spare room, so I never bothered to put him away. Under him is the snowman.

This is in the living room. It was hubby's idea to put them all together for a place for the knick-knaks. If I had my way, I would use two of them beside my desk to store all of 'my books.' But, we don't have room by my desk for them and hubby doesn't want the bookshelves loaded down in the living room. My opinion is a bookshelf isn't happy unless it is loaded down with books. Hubby likes to make things overly fancy.

Feel free to tell us about how you store your books.

Rewrite update

To my horror, I saw the book I had been working on for years, wouldn't work. I refuse to throw it away, so instead, I decided to work with it and rewrite it.

When I knew I needed to tackle the story in a big way, I sat down to brainstorm ideas. I couldn't come up with any, so I grabbed a book off the bookshelf and started reading.

On a side note, this is a technique I've used for years. If I have a problem, I will ask the universe for guidance, and then listen to where I need to go to find the answer. I decided I wanted to read about writing, and I grabbed the first book I saw. 

I grabbed Karen S. Wiesner's book From First Draft to Finished Novel. I've had the book a while, and never read it all the way through.

It's actually a good book. She has examples to help you understand her technique. Funny enough she mentioned a character that was afraid of dogs. I laughed, thinking wouldn't it be funny if my heroine had a phobia of dogs. Not a shoo dog, get away from me phobia, but an all get out, terrified, gonna pee in your pants phobia. Oh, the hero is a Canine Shifter, so it would complicate things big time.

So, what was my first reaction. Nope, can't do it. That would be way to hard to write. Then I think of a picture I saw of Stephen King and a quote that says not to stop writing something because it is too emotional or too hard. (don't think I quoted exactly, but it was something like that)

So, there is my challenge. My book isn't right as it is, so why not completely change it?

I started about a week ago. I have scrapped several scenes and completely rewritten them, and changed minor details in others. I'm about one quarter of the way done.

My goal is to finish the draft by the end of the month and have it edited by before Christmas. 

I'll keep you informed of my progress.

Yay, gotta get my 2 hours done for today.